A Sea Of Red

This is a bigtime prospect who has offers from many of the big boys. This kid would be a MAJOR coup for Coach RMc & LU:


Carter McMasters
6' 10" 210 lb Power Forward
Chattanooga (TN) Grace Academy
AAU: Smyrna Stars


Rivals Profile -

Scout Profile -

Scout.com wrote:At first glance, and if you go by height, you would tend to think: inside player. However, that's not what McMasters does. The big fella is a 3-pointer shooter with size. More like a European forward than a banger.

Holds Offers from:

Clemson
South Carolina
Tennessee
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest


From a CavsCorner story on Carter from this past weekend:

Rivals.com wrote:But some new programs are also trying to get into the mix. Minnesota and Michigan have been showing serious interest as of late and McMasters said he might try to visit those schools later in the summer.

Virginia Tech, Auburn, South Carolina and Liberty are also still in pursuit.

As for a decision, don't expect one soon.

"I'd like to go on a couple of official visits this fall before I decide," McMasters said.

Click Here for Full Story


And here's a rather old story on Carter's recruitment from the Chatty fishwrap:

Friday, January 26, 2007

Big men on campus : McMasters begins recruiting process
By Jaime Lackey Staff Writer

On the day he officially became a top college basketball recruit, Carter McMasters was busy being a regular teenager.

A few weeks after his 16th16 birthdayth birthday and a few months before the start of his junior year at Grace Academy, college coaches were allowed direct contact with the 6-foot-10 forward for the first time.

Or, they would have been, if they’d been able to reach him.

"I was over at a friend’s house," McMasters said with a shrug. "My mom said the phone was ringing off the hook while I was gone, and I had all these messages from coaches."

Click Here for Full Story

The Chattanooga fishwrap reported that Cater had verbally committed to us which would be huge news. But they have pulled the story from their website so I wonder if the story was premature. Anyone with knowledge out there to verify whether or not we have landed this highly recruited big?

Did he ever take any of those visits? Seems like he would have visited us and UVA on the same trip since we're so close. And I think that would seriously hurt us, seeing the new JPJ and our stuff on the same day.

sly, don't you have some chatty roots?? what type of competiiton does the kid play against??

Sly Fox wrote:The Chattanooga fishwrap reported that Cater had verbally committed to us which would be huge news. But they have pulled the story from their website so I wonder if the story was premature. Anyone with knowledge out there to verify whether or not we have landed this highly recruited big?

Sly, was the report recent or sometime last summer?

I was born in Chattanooga but I no longer have many connections there. Cider Jim used to live there and might know somebody.

For the record, neither Rivals nor Scout has anything yet. But that's no unusual even if there is a verbal commitment in place.

I know 3 things. 1 Ritchie really wants this kid and Curry. 2. Both kids have given a verbal according to inside sources and 3. Libertine has a theory about Verbals. I must say that I can't wait til Nov when they can actually sign.

Scar - You of all people know that hoops verbals are stronger than football commitments. Kids can still change minds waiting on the fall signing period, but if Carter did in fact verbal then I REALLY like our chances of getting this kid on campus.

If we were to land both of these kids it could rank among our best classes of all time.

Cider Jim wrote:Sly, was the report recent or sometime last summer?

It was in yesterday's papers the best I can tell but the web version was apparently pulled. Google recognizes the bad link but it doesn't have the story cached.

Sly I agree. They feel really strongly about both these kids. Apparently Del Curry and his wife were so excited about our campus and facilities and coaching staff. They want their younger son in Lynchburg. I don't know much else about Carter but he is 6-10. My question is where does this leave Derek Oestreicher? I don't know if you take both of those kids.

If you read the stories on Carter, it indicates he is a big wing who plays both forward positions. Derek is a banger down low. They would both see plenty of action on the floor together with no problems based on their styles of play.

I don't know if you can win in the big south with 2 big forwards unless one of them is a Phillip Williams Athletic rebounder type. The successful teams have a Gabe Martin, Leo Lightbourne, Arizona Reid, Reggie Williams, James Shuler swing type player playing the 4 spot. I understand what you are saying about styles of play but those shorter forwards are so quick strong and good jumpers that their athleticism puts bigger forwards at a disadvantage. Kind of like the way the Phoenix Suns do the rest of the NBA.

I think we will probably take both kids though. People always want Tyler Baker to play the 3 spot at 6-9 because he is a good perimeter player. The problem is he would have to guard a 6-5 wing on defense and that is a mis match. Sometimes teams put their quick wings at the 4 when he is in the game as well so he will be at a disadvantage on the defensive end. It is nice to have some size coming in though. I don't want to sound negative or like I don't want these kids to come here. I am just discussing strategy here.

Scar, it may be a mismatch for our guys on defense, but at the same time, they'll be able to take advantage of the mismatch on offense.

i was told that the curry commitment was a done deal.

As of last week is wasn't, but things could've changed.

SuperJon wrote:Scar, it may be a mismatch for our guys on defense, but at the same time, they'll be able to take advantage of the mismatch on offense.

That would be true if Tyler were a back to the basket player or went to the glass to rebound like a monster but he is neither so the only advantage is that he can rise up and shoot over the shorter defender. I haven't seen Baker play in a while but unless he is more athletic than last season it is not that much of an advantage at the offensive end.

i was told on saturday at the W&M game

bigsmooth wrote:i was told on saturday at the W&M game

Told what? About Carter? Yea I was told about the same time but I was at Doug Stewart's wedding. I really wanted to go to the game too but I had to support my former flame hoops bretheren. Dees was there too. He sat at our table. We had a blast.

about curry.

Sly Fox wrote:I was born in Chattanooga but I no longer have many connections there. Cider Jim used to live there and might know somebody.

Yea, Sly, I still have a guy in Chattanooga. Actually, it's an old roommate and his high school age son who probably has played against Grace. I'll send out a myspace email to the family to see if they can round up yesterday's paper and any inside info on the center from Grace.

this could be the kid I saw a few weeks ago. Also, two bigs is a good thing in the Big South....play zone defense

http://flamefans.com/forums/viewtopic.p ... uit+campus

I honestly think that Tenn. Temple had a basketball player by that last name when I was a student there in the early '80s. This could be his son.

I remember McMasters at TTU too now that you mention it. I wonder if Carter is related as well. I will have to inquire.

I've heard the Curry thing is a done deal, as well, from my coaching sources. Also, McMasters is still open, and last I heard, he was being pursued very closely by Beilein at Michigan, because his size and shooting ability work perfectly in that system...